Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with production

I just heard about alibaba.com: now what?

defmute — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:08:49 -0800

can i get alibaba.com to "invent" a smell for me? i want to make a fragrance. i'm not a chemist but i want it to smell exactly like, let's say, carrots. is there a way to find someone who will be able to make that product for me? i'm at alibaba.com and it's seems like i can only find people who already have a scent created, opposed to offering to create my scent. if anyone has experience with alibaba.com or just knows what i need to do, let me know, man! word, thanks.

If you own a press...

Moistener — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:29:26 -0800

Assuming "Cable Access" and the host works for $3000 a month, how much would it cost to produce a daily pundit blather show? (O' Reilly, Olbermann, Maddow, Matthews, Beck) Assuming airtime is free, what are the costs of writers, editors, camerapersons, producers, directors, motion graphics experts, ad sales staff and several others I'm too ignorant to mention... Anybody know how to estimate production costs for a mass-media opinion show?

What makes a good TV sports game?

fantasticninety — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:15:11 -0800

What are some examples of good and bad sports TV production? I've always enjoyed NFL football, and have often wondered what are some hallmarks of good and bad production of these games (I think about this when they cut to the production booth from time to time).

I know one obvious thing might be the commentating. One thing I have noticed is that I enjoy the game more if the sound of the audience is relatively high in the mix (although there is a threshold that I don't like it to break through).

So sports nuts out there, what are some things I could notice that would distinguish a great productino of a sports game from a not so great one?

Thanks so much!

television broadcast production of the 50's

parallax7d — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:06:27 -0800

Are there any good resources that explain the logistics, equipment and practices of television broadcast production of the 1950's?

Amount of D3 in wool

davar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:43:19 -0800

Vitamin D3 is often extracted from lanolin. I would like to know how much wool is necessary to produce say 1000 IU of vitamin D.

How to encapsulate tiny objects, with the option of removing the capsule later?

zennie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:13:13 -0800

Mad-scientist-filter: I need to encapsulate 1.5mm pellets in a thin, non-toxic, preferably natural material that could later be mechanically removed (example). I would prefer that the capsule could come off cleanly. A difference from the example above is that the capsules would be removed from each pellet individually, one-at-a-time. (Why? Because I'm a mad scientist is why. Mwuhahahahaha.)

For the sake of visualization, let's say that I...
- am going to encapsulate nonpareils,
- have basic laboratory supplies,
- have any necessary safety equipment, and
- have $500 for other expenses.

What I'd actually like to encapsulate is similar enough to nonpareils that this would be an acceptable working model.

Have any thoughts on how I might do this? Wild speculation (that attempts to answer the question!) is entirely welcome. I'm brainstorming here-- or rather, storming your brains.

The longest shot ever.

pjern — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:31:58 -0800

OK, something that been bugging me for a long time: Can someone identify a foreign film/tv show from the 80's given some memories of production details? The reason I'm thinking this is a longshot is that my entire memory of the details is from the production end, as that part of it was shot at the railroad museum where I worked for a while. I'm thinking that there might be clips somewhere that I would appear in. Here's the details of the scenes that I remember:

Our "hero", wearing ridiculous clown shoes, runs along the top of a moving train jumping from car to car. If I appear, I would be running the locomotive. The consist of cars for the train was patently ridiculous: A boxcar, gondola car, streamlined passenger car, wooden caboose, and a locomotive with the number "167" on the side.

A scene or two of gangsters with Tommy guns shooting up a wooden boxcar with a modern Norfolk and Western logo on it (The locomotive on the rght in the linked picture has it). The 'boxcar' was a fake structure built on top of a real flat car, gaffed with squibs and rigged to slowly "collapse" after absorbing enough gunfire to sink a battleship.

At least one scene of 'mobsters' lined up firing guns at the faux boxcar, and one of them discovering a trap door that the hero must have escaped through in the wreckage.

This was done for an Italian production company, there was a lot of joking about "spaghetti railroading" etc, while we were working on the project: I had the impression that it might have been a series of some kind, or a childrens (!) show over there. Time frame, early 1980's.

I'm pretty damn certain that this never showed up on the air in the US, still, with the worldwide audience here at Ask, there's just the chance that this will fire a neuron somewhere in the hive mind.

I was in a number of productions while I was at the museum, to include a few print ads and one Burt Reynolds movie, but I remember this one for the sheer amount of fun we had while doing it. I never even learned the name of the movie/show, and have been kicking myself for a long time because of that.

Production Company?

Timen — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:10:15 -0800

What feature film production company uses the introductory logo of a painted man that starts running very quickly and suddenly turns into a bird (maybe a raven)? It's one of those companies like ICON Entertainment, Lucasfilm, et cetera.

Free or cheap CRM / PIM / wiki that imports and exports vCards with pictures? Suitable for film production?

Josh Coe — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:47:28 -0800

Is there a free or cheap shared PIM that imports and exports vCards with pictures? Preferably something suitable for film production? I need a PIM-sort-of-software for my web-based team to keep track of a database of actors. Additional functionality would be nice such as keeping track of projects (I've been looking at something like Chandler as a group task organizer, but an all-in-one option would be nice) and managing email campaigns (via a less complex clone of SugarCRM perhaps), but the necessity is the actor database.

I found Smibs Doorbell. It seemed perfect. I like the way it's organized by Contacts, Tasks, Groups, and Opportunities, but it exports vCards without pictures, which would be a dealbreaker if we outgrew it.

I'm a graduate student, so $20 per month is way out of my price range. $5 would be possible; free is better.

I wouldn't mind a hack-like solution. I even tried Google Apps. I thought we could manage email campaigns via Google Docs, and maintain the actor database in Google Spreadsheets, but the pictures don't go inside a spreadsheet cell but rather hover above the entire document.

I thought about using Wordpress. I tried Chris Wallace's Gallery Pro theme, but the functionality wasn't quite what I was looking for. Now I'm looking at WP-CRM or Celtx as possibilities. A wiki like Pimki seems intriguing but I haven't wrapped my head around whether that would meet my needs yet.

I'm using Mac OSX Leopard with WinXP Parallels, and my admin has a PC. I have Mediatemple hosting, so I could host it there. The company would manage multiple film projects at once.

Any suggestions on what CRM / PIM / wiki platform we should use?

How was Merriweather Post Pavilion made?

invitapriore — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:30:32 -0800

Electronic music production. How, for example, were the sounds on Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion made? This is a pretty short question, but I'm wondering what sorts of programs, instruments, techniques, etc. are used to make sounds like one can hear on that album. Is it possible with a MIDI controller and a program like Natural Instrument's Reaktor to do similar things?

The unbearable darkness of our studio

shmegegge — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:00:45 -0800

What are the go to guides for learning to light in production environments? specifically, I'd like a resource (in book or other form) to learn about lighting sound stages for video production. our studio right now has plenty of decent lights, but not enough know how to compellingly light a scene.

How much should I get paid for hosting and producing videos?

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 22:19:41 -0800

Hired to host and produce video content for a PR firm. How much should I ask to be paid? Because they liked a previous project of mine, a PR firm wants me to to produce video content for a client of theirs. The client is basically a media industry group running a promotion campaign.

The jobs will vary but it seems there will be two main kinds. Sometimes I will do funny interviews with people for 2-3 minute videos to be posted online. The firm will arrange for the filming, but I will do the editing (which I expect to be minimal).

The other job would be creating funny video shorts that I would write, produce, and act in. I would ask for a small production budget to get a crew and such, but I'm unsure what I myself should receive in compensation for something like this.

I've already been given the obligatory speech about how times are tough and the budget for the campaign has been slashed. I really don't have any idea what I should be paid for this, and I haven't found anything too useful in previous Ask Mefi posts. Can anyone give me an idea what I should expect to be paid for either job?

The new exhibit in your town!

aburd — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 11:12:03 -0800

My girlfriend would like to work in the business of art exhibit production. She's got a Master's in Art History and has taught art history at a number of schools and has worked in museums. But she's not sure how exactly she could get into the field of art exhibit production. Does anyone have any experiences in this field that may help her figure out a place to start? I'm specifically talking about the big art exhibits that move from Museum to Museum across the country and the globe.

Explain Marx's conception of economic crises.

matkline — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:54:52 -0800

I'm trying to wrap my head around Marx's conception of Capitalist economic crises. He claims that these crises emerge every 7 years, and are caused by "the epidemic of overproduction." Is there any historical justification for this? (Especially in the modern era?)

References to Video & Web production having similar structure

sswiller — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:54:50 -0800

Are there any books or articles that show similarities between web content creation and video production, specifically with regard to job titles and workflows? The titles don't match up exactly, but there are similarities, and I was wondering if anyone has published this phenomenon.

Video = Web
Producer = Stakeholder
Director = Project Manager
Art Director = Designer
Director of Photography = Developer
Screenwriter = Copywriter
Production Assistant = Assistant Producer
Talent = Content

I'm Not Going To Pay A Lot For This Video!

Mister_A — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:52:19 -0800

Calling all East Coast video production pros! Price check. My company has done a ton of video work, but usually fairly elaborate shoots where we work through a producer to get everything done. Now we're doing a very small-scale, one-day local (Philly area) indoor location shoot with a DP that we know and love. I want to get a baseline on what everything ought to cost. I have some numbers from old estimates and things from production companies we've used, but I want to see what the raw costs are (I assume they marked things up).

Here's what I'm looking for:
DP - 1 day PLUS 1/2 day pre-pro
HD cam + stock (not sure what kind we're using just yet)
Sound - 1 day
Lighting - 1 day
Makeup - 1 day

Please give me costs for associated equipment in cases where it is customary to charge, or where it's something that has to be rented. Just looking for ballpark costs here, I'm not going to hold you to any of this.

I'm pretty solid on post, but if any freelance editors want to weigh in with usual rates, BONUS POINTS!!!

PS Don't worry about talent.

Thanks hive mind!

How can a stay-at-home dad make his audio production chops pay?

skypieces — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:27:43 -0800

I have advanced audio production skills, but am mystified as to how to make it pay in my situation. Ideas? Experience facts: I have spent over ten years working in regional theatre, specifically as a sound designer. I am well-versed in Adobe Audition and can do practically anything I've ever been asked in the over 50 different productions I have worked on. I have cut/mixed score pieces from already-existing music, custom-built loops and beds for scene changes, mixed custom sound effects, recorded and edited voice-over material, produced audio books. I am very adept with hair-splitting details and have a reputation as somewhat of a miracle worker. But, I am self-taught (online forums, trial-and-error, reading the manual, etc). I am not versed in ProTools and other common industry software but I find that anything I want to do I can do in Audition.

I also have some music experience and am adept at making shorter, modular music pieces that I hear are becoming very sought-after online for background use (licensed).

I am a stay-at-home dad now; I need to be able to work from home. There should be little impediment to this with high-speed Internet. I live in a rural area and there are no record companies or ad agencies nearby. The usual/traditional first-thought possibilities are not so useful here. Surely some branch of advertising, audio book publishing, independent film, web design, news, etc. would have use for my services freelance or telecommute. I have searched for months and can't really find anything that seems to fit my needs.

Any advice or point toward a new avenue of research is appreciated.

the œufs, should I eat them?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:38:13 -0800

What are the differences in production and storage of (chicken) eggs in France versus the United States? In the United States, all of the eggs that I see for sale at the grocery store are refrigerated. At my local farmers' market, they were at least kept in a cooler. In France, I find eggs on the shelves at room temperature. What are the reasons for these differences?

Also, in the United States, I generally buy eggs from local farmers because of ethical issues with how battery farm chickens are treated (well, that and the eggs taste better). In France, is there the same divide between local producers and battery farms that chop off beaks and confine chickens? Or is it different?

I've tried googling but couldn't find specific answers (I'm sure I'm doing it wrong!).

How much should I charge for video editing?

burhan — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:03:53 -0800

How much should I charge to create a promo video for a friend? I've been ask to edit footage to create a short promo video for a friend of mine who is a professional performer. She has all the video she wants me to use, and is content to have me use my Mac to produce a final product. Our market in Calgary is such that video production companies are not taking 'small' jobs from people as the demand from oil and gas, as well as other markets have

I am not a professional by any means, but am extremely proficient in video editing. The footage has already been shot, so it looks like some straightforward work.

I expect the video to be about 10min long when done, and will require going through 3 hours of her footage.

Obviously, the general rule of thumb (1hr per min of video) may not apply, as I didn't generate the video and as such have no idea what there is, and since it's not 'my vision'.

What is a fair rate to charge given I am not a professional?

With thanks!

How much does a professional music producer cost?

dcruzin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:24:38 -0800

What's the price range for a professional music producer for a rock band? We're looking at working with one producer but want to be sure we're getting a good deal. Are there any questions/features we should be asking the producer about to make sure we're getting a good deal? Right now he's telling us it's about $1500-$2000 per song, is that the going rate? We're a band based in Seattle and looking at working with a local producer through a friend of ours.

We're going to ask him about any additional costs like mastering, but since we've never worked with a producer before we want to make sure to ask him the right questions and cover our bases.

Any experiences/advice is welcome. Thanks!

Getting started producing electronic music?

wastelands — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:54:55 -0800

How does an absolute beginner get started making electronic music? I've listened to electronic music for 13 years. I'm partial to ambient, noise, and anything abstract and experimental. I have always wanted to try my hand at creating music, but something like Reason 4 appears intimidating (not to mention expensive).

Does anyone have a recommendation for messing around and getting started with electronic music... without spending a bunch of money first? I'd like to see if I have a knack for it before I commit to major hardware and software purchases.

I've got an old school Dell computer at home running Windows XP, so compatibility with that platform would be nice.

Thanks!

ObscureTVmusicfilter

evilcolonel — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:24:54 -0800

If anyone can help me identify a piece of TV music from the early 80s, you all can. When I was a kid, I remember liking very much a piece of music that was either the theme or the bumper for the CBC's sports anthology series Sportsweekend. There's a few seconds of it in this video, beginning at 3:47.

It could be music from a production library, and somebody out there may recognize it. Even better, it may be taken from an actual album or movie soundtrack. I'd sure like to know where I could find the whole thing.

What's Pre-Roll?

Ironmouth — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:53:28 -0800

What Does Pre-Roll Mean? A friend is filming an event for a producer with his high-end video camera. The producer is asking for 5 minutes of "pre-roll" on each tape. What does that mean?

Music Videos

god particle — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:25:27 -0800

I'm interested in producing music videos... I'm interested in producing music videos; it's something I've wanted to do for a really long time. Some basic get-a-camera-and-film-stuff kinds and some more conceptual kinds. For the latter, what I envision is something along the lines of those stylized, animated-graphic videos, such as What Barry Says (not a music video) or Chinese Translation or You! Me! Dancing! or DVNO or Wait for the Summer. What kind of software is needed to produce videos like that? I'm pretty good with Final Cut Pro, and I've dabbled in After Effects and 3DSMax. I'm working on OSX now. I'm not really looking to produce things that require extensive 3d modeling/texturing/animating/etc - if there is 3d work I want to do it will most likely be really basic modeling though I figure there will need to be a lot of texturing/lighting work for things to look good. I'm guessing that a lot of the 2d animation is done in After Effects, but I don't really base that guess on anything.

Also, any general tips about producing music videos and perhaps breaking into the industry (I've read a previous similar thread but I'm looking for more)? I'm at school now for pre-med but I'm considering changing over to some graphic/motion-design oriented field if this really resonates with me. In the spring I'll probably take some of those courses to get a feel. I'm in philly now, if anyone can offer tips/suggestions specific to the area (ie where to go/who to talk to).

That warm, crackly sound...

inoculatedcities — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:02:55 -0800

I'm interested in pressing a 7" record. How do I do this? I am looking for manufacturers with an online presence who do this relatively inexpensively. I have never done this before and am wondering how much it might cost for 500 7"s (double-sided) with sleeves.